To What Extent Is It Reasonable To

Blame Germany For The Outbreak Of World War I Essay, Research Paper

To what extent

is it reasonable to blame Germany for the outbreak of World War I. ........... Germany.s

invasion of France via Belgium was the initial act of war that brought about

the commencement of war.. However, is it

fair to say that it was Germany and Germany alone who acted to bring about this

first step.. I would argue that a series

of events led to the German invasion of Belgium, but to what extent could

Germany be blamed for this series of events. ........... Germany was

a new power in Europe; the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership in

January 1871 was the result of the brilliant diplomacy of Otto von Bismarck who

by skilful use of war, and his excellent methods of convincing others of his

good intentions created the new empire..

However, the emergence of the German empire had upset the balance of

Central Europe maintained for centuries by the Holy Roman Empire and

temporarily sustained by the German Confederation.. Many people believe that the invoking of hatred within France by

the creation of this new empire and the mistrust of the other surrounding

empires over Prussian expansionist tendencies led inevitably to a European

war.. The fact that war was averted for

nearly forty years was due to Bismarck.s brilliant diplomacy.. He managed to convince the other European

powers that Prussia.s only ambition was to consolidate its gains and not to

expand further.. He also made a series

of complex treaties with Russia, Austria and Italy.. The basic outcome of this web of agreements was that Germany had

a neutrality pact with Russia in the event of an Austro-Russian war, whilst

promising support to Austria and Italy in the event of a war with another

country.. These treaties succeeded in

isolating France a kept the peace for a considerable time, in this way what

Bismarck achieved was momentous..

Whether, had Bismarck continued as German Chancellor after 1890 on the

accession of Wilhelm II, war may have been averted we will never know.. It is unlikely that Bismarck.s delay could

have been sustained indefinitely even had Bismarck remained as Chancellor.

However, war, if inevitable, would have come about in a different way under

Bismarck as he would have never allowed the alliance system of 1914 exist had

he been in power. ........... Caprivi.s

legacy was not perhaps as rosy as his predecessor had intended.. Despite France.s still being isolated and

treaties still existing between Germany and Russia, Italy and Austria, the

situation was more complex.. Problems

had existed between Austria and Russia for many years over an area known as the

Balkans.. The Ottoman Empire was in a

state of disintegration with both Austria and Russia vying for a greater

influence in the area.. Both powers held

a right to do so as Russia, predominantly a Slav country, felt that they should

have an influence with their fellow Slavs..

However, Austria felt that if she did not have an influence in the area,

Russia.s policy would lead to a surge of Slav nationalist spirit with the

inevitable result that Austria.s Slavic peoples would rise up and overthrow

Habsburg rule.. Austria was a declining

power by this time and had regions of the empire begun to break away, it was

likely that a Slav nationalist uprising would result in the overthrow of the

system and an end to Habsburg rule.. For

these reasons, Russia and Austria clashed frequently over the issue of the

Balkans and indeed it was from this area that the spark for the First World War

would come. ........... The most

important of the Balkan crises came in 1878..

In 1876-77, full-scale Bulgarian uprising led to a confrontation between

Turkey (The Ottoman empire) and Russia that led to a war from 1877-1878 over

the future of Bulgaria resulted in a defeat for the Turks.. The Russians then forced the Turks to sign

the Treaty of San Stefano.. This treaty

contained harsh terms that were felt by Britain and Austria-Hungary to give

Russia too much power in the Balkans area..

Bismarck, unwilling to upset either Austria or Russia decided to play

the .honest broker. in the conference of Berlin in 1878.. The result was that Russia was unhappy about

the settlement over Bulgaria, as it appeared to them that the Germans,

represented by Bismarck had sided with Austria.. Even Bismarck.s diplomacy had floundered over the difficult and

complex situation in the Balkans. The result was a distinct cooling of

relations between Russia and Germany, resulting in the effectual invalidation

of the Reinsurance Treaty between the two powers that insured the neutrality of

Russia in the event of a war with France..

........... When the

Reinsurance Treaty was brought up in 1890, it could have been renewed through

clever diplomacy, had

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